Promise
by riverofmemories
Summary: "'I remembered,' she breathed, and his face changed. It shifted. Darkness fluttered over his expression, shock, too, as if he hadn't expected her to say that. Suddenly, she lurched for him. He let her this time, and she wrapped her arms around him. Happy stared at her in shock. Natsu was too surprised to respond, merely staring at her head in horror."[AU/Rewrite of Finale Chapter]


Dark brown eyes fluttered open to the first light of morning. At first, she didn't really know what to think. Fear laced through every nerve in her body, as if she'd been in a dangerous situation when she'd gone to sleep. But when she thought back on it...she remembered...a party? She furrowed her brow slowly.

That was right. It cleared, though still fuzzy around the edges. They'd been at a party that celebrated her book the night before. She smiled lazily at the memories. It had been a beautiful party, Fairy Tail style. Full of friends and the people she loved.

A thought suddenly shot through and she sat up slowly, looking around. She frowned again. "What?" Lucy muttered, bewildered. "My room…?" When had it been rebuilt like this? She blinked once, twice. Rather than questioning, she pressed a hand over her heart and reassured herself, "That was too real to be a dream…"

A noise caught her attention and she glanced over. A shriek left her lips a moment later when she saw the mess of half-eaten food that surrounded her cheerful partner. Natsu Dragneel's lips curved into a somewhat amused smile as he caught her staring. "Yo," he greeted, lifting a hand in greeting.

Deja vu caught her in its grip. She remembered other times, moments in which Natsu had broken into her room - this exact same room, which had been-

"Look, Lucy!" another voice called, snapping her out of her thoughts. Her head snapped around and she glared at the blue-furred cat raking his claws on her hard won award. "My claws are sparkly, too!"

"My award," she wailed, scowling at the cat. "It's ruined!" With a huff, she turned a sharp look on Natsu. He blinked. "Why are you in my room?"

This room, which was-

"Because you collapsed," Natsu said, a pout appearing on his face, "and I had to bring you here."

Lucy gasped, remembering the party fuzzily. "I drank too much! Didn't I?!"

Happy snickered, looking at her with amusement. "Lucy's ashamed."

"Don't say that, Happy," Natsu protested, but Lucy was all ready panicking, pacing before them as she shrieked, "What did I do!?"

Natsu began to prattle off about what she'd done - activities that included being carried home, stripping in front of them, and then cuddling them both to her naked chest - and when he was done, Lucy gave a mournful sob, burying her face in her hands. Her face was a bright red, horror crossing through her body. "Now I'll never be a bride…"

"Luce," Natsu said firmly, and she started to look up. She paused, bewildered when she caught sight of a scar on her leg. It split the flesh from the top of her knee and circled up towards her hip. Suddenly, it was gone, and she cocked her head. Where had that come from…?

"We have a job," Natsu continued, as if not noticing her distraction. "Come on!" He grinned down at her as she looked up quietly, confusion written in her eyes.

 _"Lucy!"_

She froze, his voice echoing in her ears.

 _"Lucy, it's a_ job _!"_

Tears began to fill her eyes, her breath catching in her throat.

 _"We're going to do it!"_ Happy's voice said in shaky determination. _"We're a team!"_

Her own voice filled her ears, and a strangled sound left her lips as memory after memory flooded her. Images from when she'd been kidnapped by Phantom Lord, from their battle with Oracion Seis over Nirvana, and Edolas raced through her, bringing pain like no other to her head.

"Lucy?" Natsu called, voice distant.

She found herself remembering the teamwork they'd successfully attained in the fight for Tenrou Island against Grimoire Heart. She remembered the sight of Natsu pressing his forehead to her future self's, whispering a thank you. She remembered the agony on Natsu's face as Igneel perished before his eyes, the triumphant but haunted grin when he'd returned from a year long disappearance.

She remembered Natsu staggering towards she and Gray, a faint grin on his face. _"Yo,"_ he'd laughed, blood bubbling on his lips. Pain had raced through her veins as Acnologia screamed overhead. The book of END had been clutched in her arms. _"Ready...ready to go…"_

"Natsu," she breathed.

 _"Ready to go home, Luce?"_ That final smile, the realization that _she'd failed him_.

She'd rewritten him right out of existence.

She remembered watching the fire mage she adored disappearing before her eyes without another word. She'd broken down, screaming, and Gray had been forced to haul her to her feet, terror written over his face when he'd looked up.

And then…

"Luce," Natsu tried again, and suddenly, he was in front of her. The visions were replaced by one and one alone. His face, smiling down at her as she opened her eyes. His voice whispering, _"I'm home."_

"N-Natsu," she croaked, reaching for him as he jerked a little in fear.

"H-hey," he stammered, yanking back. "What happened, Lucy?"

"Does your belly hurt?" Happy fretted gently.

She gave a hoarse sob, pressing her hand over her eyes. Tears streamed down her cheek. She knew it, she understood. She knew precisely what had happened. Where she was. The proof was right in front of her.

The scar that had stood out so loudly on Natsu's cheek was gone. His scarf was wrapped loosely around his throat, and the scar there was gone, too. But he was _there_ , and she hadn't-

"I remembered," she breathed, and his face changed. It shifted. Darkness fluttered over his expression, shock, too, as if he hadn't expected her to say that. Suddenly, she lurched for him. He let her this time, and she wrapped her arms around him. Happy stared at her in shock. Natsu was too surprised to respond, merely staring at her head in horror.

"I remembered," she repeated. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Slowly, he gripped her shoulders. He looked at Happy seriously, and the Exceed flew from his shoulder to sit on the couch, turning his back to give them a little privacy. "Luce," he said softly. "Luce, I'm fine. I'm right here."

"How?" she breathed.

"I don't know," he admitted, slowly returning the embrace. Within seconds, she was crushed against him, his face pressed into her hair. She sobbed against him.

"Thank you," she said suddenly. An irrational fear overtook him as she said, "If I hadn't met you...I would've never had so much…" She began to cry harder and Happy looked back with a sad look, tail twitching. Natsu looked down at her with a sorrowful look, dropping his hands to grip her waist and nudge her back a little.

"Hey," he murmured. "Lucy...I want to say something."

He shifted, looking up at him. He searched her gaze, opened his mouth, then closed it. His eyes flickered uncertainly as he suddenly pressed his forehead to hers. She recognized the action for what it was and closed her eyes. She understood, even when he said nothing, and love flooded through her heart, reassuring her that even though this...wherever they were, this life with him was hers for keeps.

"Thank you," she told him. "From the bottom of my heart, Natsu, thank you."

HIs grip tightened on her, as if he was worried she'd vanish. But then he pulled back and gave her a typical Natsu grin. "We should get to work," he told her, onyx eyes lighting with excitement. He began to tug her towards the door, Happy alighting on his head.

She frowned. Fear snapped through her and she made an uncertain sound. What if something happened? What if she messed things up again, and she lost him? What if the others weren't there?

"It's okay," Natsu suddenly said, turning to look back at her. She searched his gaze as he grinned. In a very serious voice, he said, "We'll be together forever from now on."

"Promise?" she breathed.

"Promise," he replied confidently. With a laugh, he called, "Happy and I already packed your bags!" Lucy sputtered, her heart lightening as the burdens from her life fell away.

"Natsu!" a voice - _Wendy!_ Lucy thought - trilled. "Lucy, Happy! Hurry!"

Charle scolded from her shoulder, "You're late."

"We're leaving, you bastards!" another shouted. She outright sobbed at the sight of a gently smiling Gray standing there, clothed for once.

Lucy blinked, the tears disappearing when she saw their team awaiting them in the streets of Magnolia, as if they'd been waiting just for her. She felt her lips tremble as Erza smiled kindly, understanding in her eyes. "Are you ready?" she asked softly.

Lucy took a deep breath. "Yeah," she said finally. "Let's go."

Gray ruffled her hair playfully and then pumped a fist in the air as Natsu tilted his head back and practically roared in excitement, "A one hundred year quest!" With a mischievous look in Lucy's direction, Natsu smirked.

Lucy smiled back and pushed all of the guilt and grief they'd shared out of her heart as she set off for a never-ending adventure.

* * *

 _I wanted to write something in celebration of Fairy Tail and to say farewell, and so I chose to combine my theory for the final chapter with the actual chapter._

 _I have this headcanon that the group really didn't survive that final battle. Natsu doesn't have that scar on his cheek, and I feel like that applies? I don't know how. When Natsu/Lucy are reunited in the second to last FT chapter, I feel like that's them finding each other. It's really weird and I have problems explaining it._

 _Fairy Tail has been a huge part of my life for two, maybe three years. It'll continue to be a big part of my life for a long time to come, of course. I'm going to miss getting those new updates every week._

 _I usually only put this at the end of major fics, but this is special, so..._

 _"Don't say goodbye!"_

 _~river_


End file.
